I suggest you try to retrieve email using a POP3 mail client (like Thunderbird), check if it can retrieve emails. If not, tell us what error you had encountered.

From your description so far, I can not be sure what problem you are facing.

i dont know if my pop server are running are not. could somebody please help me. the qmailctl stat shows

/service/qmail-send: up (pid 5390) 73504 seconds
/service/qmail-send/log: up (pid 5389) 73504 seconds
/service/qmail-smtpd: up (pid 5392) 73504 seconds
/service/qmail-smtpd/log: up (pid 5393) 73504 seconds
/service/qmail-pop3d: up (pid 5396) 73504 seconds
/service/qmail-pop3d/log: up (pid 5404) 73504 seconds
messages in queue: 0
messages in queue but not yet preprocessed: 0

i believe everything is working fine because it's up for more than a second. when i telnet 110 from another pc, it seems to have some problem. how do i test whether my pop3 is really working??

i try using outlook express and this error came out

The connection to the server has failed. Account: '192.168.1.20', Server: '192.168.1.20', Protocol: POP3, Port: 110, Secure(SSL): No, Socket Error: 10065, Error Number: 0x800CCC0E

the ip given is within my internal network. i trying to test in internally first. i dont know if this is a problem. i'm trying to purchase a dns name for testing. but from the error given, it seem like the problem still lies with pop3 server. any hints and guides to troubleshoot this is appreciated. thanks in advance........

Hmmm... Very strange, from your description so far, your POP3 service is up, and I do not notice anything wrong, unless the POP3 run script (described in Lifewithqmail) is not properly configured. Can you post that script here?

Can you also do this:

1) Check for pop3 logs.

2) At your Linux (RH), do a telnet to localhost port 110 and simulate the POP3 handshaking:
What I shown here is a login without error.

Check for any error message that may give you a clue. Here user and password is one of your valid account. Create a test if you need. By the way, don't post a real account name or password here. I am assuming you are using Linux accounts.

Hope this help.

this is the pop2 run script....

#!/bin/sh
exec /usr/local/bin/softlimit -m 5000000 \
/usr/local/bin/tcpserver -v -R -H -l 0 0 110 /var/qmail/bin/qmail-popup \
spiketesting.com /bin/checkpassword /var/qmail/bin/qmail-pop3d Maildir 2>&1

i've already change the softlimit by testing 3000000 and 500000. 3000000 seem to create some problem so i decided to stick with 500000. i'm using a bogus dns name, so i dont mind displaying it here.


something strange when i telnet port 110, here's the message ...

telnet localhost 110
Trying 127.0.0.1...
Connected to localhost.localdomain (127.0.0.1).
Escape character is '^]'.
+OK <3083.1192692772@fqdn>
user harith
+OK
pass harith
Connection closed by foreign host.

before i can access my list, it close automatically. do we really need a really working dns in order to test the pop server??
like i said before, i'm using a bogus dns. i've created a linux user account with the useradd harith -p harith(i'm assuming that this is a linux user account).

There should be some error message in your /service/qmail-pop3d/log/current. Can you check?

here's the log file. by the way, this log file was in /var/log/qmail/pop3d/current

@400000004715b18417155aec tcpserver: status: 0/40
@400000004715bfd3167b9f74 tcpserver: status: 0/40
@400000004715c108238f6a9c tcpserver: status: 0/40
@400000004715c2eb0f598ecc tcpserver: status: 0/40
@400000004716cf6d1030b4ec tcpserver: status: 1/40
@400000004716cf6d1030d044 tcpserver: pid 5705 from 127.0.0.1
@400000004716cf6d1030dfe4 tcpserver: ok 5705 0:127.0.0.1:110 :127.0.0.1::33817
@400000004716cfa30e77ae94 tcpserver: end 5705 status 256
@400000004716cfa30e77cdd4 tcpserver: status: 0/40
@400000004716d00d2e0b9af4 tcpserver: status: 1/40
@400000004716d00d2e0bbe1c tcpserver: pid 5718 from 127.0.0.1
@400000004716d00d2e0bd58c tcpserver: ok 5718 0:127.0.0.1:110 :127.0.0.1::60282
@400000004716d01a19b258a4 tcpserver: end 5718 status 256
@400000004716d01a19b277e4 tcpserver: status: 0/40
@400000004716def42685f234 tcpserver: status: 1/40
@400000004716def426861174 tcpserver: pid 6116 from 127.0.0.1
@400000004716def4268624fc tcpserver: ok 6116 0:127.0.0.1:110 :127.0.0.1::46633
@400000004716df01022389ec tcpserver: end 6116 status 256
@400000004716df010223ad14 tcpserver: status: 0/40
@400000004716df0a2b550674 tcpserver: status: 1/40
@400000004716df0a2b552d84 tcpserver: pid 6127 from 127.0.0.1
@400000004716df0a2b55410c tcpserver: ok 6127 0:127.0.0.1:110 :127.0.0.1::46634
@400000004716df22065168a4 tcpserver: end 6127 status 256
@400000004716df22065187e4 tcpserver: status: 0/40
@400000004716df3422bb8c54 tcpserver: status: 1/40
@400000004716df3422bbb364 tcpserver: pid 6138 from 127.0.0.1
@400000004716df3422bbcad4 tcpserver: ok 6138 0:127.0.0.1:110 :127.0.0.1::46635
@400000004716df4925a74264 tcpserver: end 6138 status 256
@400000004716df4925a7658c tcpserver: status: 0/40
@400000004716ea142c9903dc tcpserver: status: 1/40
@400000004716ea142c992aec tcpserver: pid 6421 from 127.0.0.1
@400000004716ea142c993e74 tcpserver: ok 6421 0:127.0.0.1:110 :127.0.0.1::33649
@400000004716ea3c21bd2754 tcpserver: end 6421 status 256
@400000004716ea3c21bd4a7c tcpserver: status: 0/40
@400000004716ec792087f6fc tcpserver: status: 1/40
@400000004716ec7920881a24 tcpserver: pid 6530 from 127.0.0.1
@400000004716ec7920882dac tcpserver: ok 6530 0:127.0.0.1:110 :127.0.0.1::37637
@400000004716ec811377b614 tcpserver: end 6530 status 256
@400000004716ec811377d16c tcpserver: status: 0/40
@400000004716f27f0d83d4cc tcpserver: status: 0/40
@400000004716f29f2fef00f4 tcpserver: status: 1/40
@400000004716f29f3003e884 tcpserver: pid 6734 from 127.0.0.1
@400000004716f29f300403dc tcpserver: ok 6734 0:127.0.0.1:110 :127.0.0.1::50518
@400000004716f2b708d1c63c tcpserver: end 6734 status 256
@400000004716f2b708d1e57c tcpserver: status: 0/40
@400000004716f2d835e470ac tcpserver: status: 1/40
@400000004716f2d835e6c26c tcpserver: pid 6747 from 127.0.0.1
@400000004716f2d835e752f4 tcpserver: ok 6747 0:127.0.0.1:110 :127.0.0.1::36148
@400000004716f2e72658db3c tcpserver: end 6747 status 256
@400000004716f2e72658fe64 tcpserver: status: 0/40
@400000004716f37b31aca2fc tcpserver: status: 1/40
@400000004716f37b31acc624 tcpserver: pid 6766 from 127.0.0.1
@400000004716f37b31acd9ac tcpserver: ok 6766 0:127.0.0.1:110 :127.0.0.1::36149
@400000004716f382162e3edc tcpserver: end 6766 status 256
@400000004716f382162e65ec tcpserver: status: 0/40
@400000004716f4a71c87a46c tcpserver: status: 0/40
@400000004716f4b02b75d4e4 tcpserver: status: 0/40
@400000004716f4c426d46824 tcpserver: status: 1/40
@400000004716f4c426d48f34 tcpserver: pid 6958 from 127.0.0.1
@400000004716f4c426d4aa8c tcpserver: ok 6958 0:127.0.0.1:110 :127.0.0.1::50229
@400000004716f4cb1bf48844 tcpserver: end 6958 status 256
@400000004716f4cb1bf4a784 tcpserver: status: 0/40
@400000004716f4e8006bc3e4 tcpserver: status: 0/40
@400000004716f5b007bf0264 tcpserver: status: 0/40
@400000004716fa2b32e5982c tcpserver: status: 1/40
@400000004716fa2b32e5bf3c tcpserver: pid 7129 from 192.168.1.20
@400000004716fa2b32e5d2c4 tcpserver: ok 7129 0:192.168.1.20:110 :192.168.1.20::49415
@400000004716fa3a01ac3edc tcpserver: end 7129 status 256
@400000004716fa3a01ac6204 tcpserver: status: 0/40
@400000004716fd0723292ebc tcpserver: status: 0/40
@40000000471707ab284f0204 tcpserver: status: 0/40
@40000000471708c411deca7c tcpserver: status: 1/40
@40000000471708c411dee1ec tcpserver: pid 2936 from 127.0.0.1
@40000000471708c411e006e4 tcpserver: ok 2936 0:127.0.0.1:110 :127.0.0.1::38501
@40000000471708dc2fcea3cc tcpserver: end 2936 status 256
@40000000471708dc2fceb754 tcpserver: status: 0/40
@40000000471709172ed8f15c tcpserver: status: 1/40
@40000000471709172ed908cc tcpserver: pid 2948 from 127.0.0.1
@40000000471709172ed91484 tcpserver: ok 2948 0:127.0.0.1:110 :127.0.0.1::38502
@400000004717092338952544 tcpserver: end 2948 status 256
@4000000047170923389538cc tcpserver: status: 0/40
@40000000471709670d00f0fc tcpserver: status: 1/40
@40000000471709670d010484 tcpserver: pid 2957 from 127.0.0.1
@40000000471709670d010c54 tcpserver: ok 2957 0:127.0.0.1:110 :127.0.0.1::38503
@400000004717096e357a6824 tcpserver: end 2957 status 256
@400000004717096e357a7f94 tcpserver: status: 0/40
@4000000047170979067bd01c tcpserver: status: 0/40
@400000004717097d05a63484 tcpserver: status: 1/40
@400000004717097d05a6480c tcpserver: pid 2982 from 127.0.0.1
@400000004717097d05a64fdc tcpserver: ok 2982 0:127.0.0.1:110 :127.0.0.1::38504
@400000004717098d285eadbc tcpserver: end 2982 status 256
@400000004717098d285ec144 tcpserver: status: 0/40
@4000000047170a9d04dad9ec tcpserver: status: 0/40
@4000000047170aad1a1fb8a4 tcpserver: status: 1/40
@4000000047170aad1a21626c tcpserver: pid 3046 from 127.0.0.1
@4000000047170aad1a3a3db4 tcpserver: ok 3046 0:127.0.0.1:110 :127.0.0.1::48992
@4000000047170abd33b06624 tcpserver: end 3046 status 256
@4000000047170abd33b15c3c tcpserver: status: 0/40
@4000000047170c2e1ef8082c tcpserver: status: 1/40
@4000000047170c2e1ef81bb4 tcpserver: pid 3083 from 127.0.0.1
@4000000047170c2e1ef82384 tcpserver: ok 3083 0:127.0.0.1:110 :127.0.0.1::35978
@4000000047170c3b311f8dcc tcpserver: end 3083 status 256
@4000000047170c3b311fa154 tcpserver: status: 0/40


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

i dont see any error message here. could i've had been wrong somewhere in configuring the pop3 ? i check and double check everything and i did exactly what the instruction ask me to.......

I am not sure why this happened to you... I looks normal to me. It seems to me, the problem occur somewhere after it check your login information and trying to read your Maildir folder.

hmmmmmm.........is it because of this i am unable to telnet my pop server in other machine?? if it really such a hassle i'm thinking of switching to vpopmail. it has its own checkpassword. i hope it can sort out the problem. but then again, i want to know the source of the problem first and solution for this problem..

Yes, it seems the connection closed at some point. I suspect is the permission of the Maildir or the location of the Maildir is wrong.

i think there's nothing wrong with the file permission access. all of the maildir file was created in each user profile

eg. /home/harith/Maildir

is there anythng wrong with this directory that i created? one more thing, how do i know that my 110 port isn't block by the system?? i suspecting that i cant telnet 110 from other machine because the 110 port is been block by the system.

i've think i manage to solve the localhost popserver problem. again, your instruction in installing checkpassword is the key to my solution. after following your instruction step by step, i can now login using my pop 3 server locally.

telnet localhost 110 <-------successful login
Trying 127.0.0.1...
Connected to localhost.localdomain (127.0.0.1).
Escape character is '^]'.
+OK <8765.1192760795@spiketesting.com>
user hery
+OK
pass hery
+OK
list
+OK
1 285
2 292
3 822
.
quit
+OK
Connection closed by foreign host.
telnet localhost 110 <---------unsuccessful login
Trying 127.0.0.1...
Connected to localhost.localdomain (127.0.0.1).
Escape character is '^]'.
+OK <8770.1192760813@spiketesting.com>
user dasd
+OK
pass fdgsdf
-ERR authorization failed
Connection closed by foreign host.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

hurrah......

now the problem lies in connecting the telnet 110 from another machine. any solutions ??

by the way, thanks ghostdancer.

Glad to know there is progress...

You mean the system refuse connection from remote, but local access is OK? This should be related with firewall setup. Check you installation and verify the firewall rules allow remote port 110 access.

If there is another firewall in front of your system, you will need to check the rules for that firewall as well.

i already set it to allow 110. right now, i can remotely access 110. thanks again ghostdancer.
youre my saviour. i've already tested it using outlook and looks fine to me. it is essential for me to install clam av and qmail scanner? does spamassassin do the job to ensure the security of my qmail?

You are welcome. Glad to help.

It depends on your requirements. I can't really be sure if it is essential. However, AFAIK, anti-spam system does not magically remove spam emails. You will need to train it.

If you are looking into anti-spam, I would recommend:

qpsmtpd

(I did not use qpsmtpd for anti-spam, I did use it for a custom SMTP service, for other filtering purposes. However, I am aware that some people highly recommend it)